Berkeley to investigate Police Chief for his “error of judgment’

Update, 11:22: At 11:09pm, Berkeleyside received a statement from Interim City Manager Christine Daniel. It reads: “On Monday of this week, the City retained the firm of Renne Sloan Holtzman Sakai to conduct an investigation into the events of March 8th and 9th involving Chief of Police Michael K. Meehan. That process will be conducted to its conclusion.”

Renne Sloan Holtzman Sakai is a San Francisco-based firm of attorneys specializing in public law.

Original story: The Berkeley Police Association is calling for a formal investigation of Berkeley Police Chief Michael Meehan for what he described as an “error in judgment” in sending an officer to a reporter’s home at 12:45 a.m. to ask for changes to a story.

“The bottom line is we do not believe there should be double standards in the department. It is guaranteed that any captain, lieutenant or sergeant would be on administrative leave if this had happened to them,” said Officer Tim Kaplan, President of the BPA.

The BPA cites the lack of review of Meehan’s action a serious disregard for department policy in a statement delivered this morning to Berkeley Interim City Manager Christine Daniel.

Chief Meehan sent BPD Officer Sgt Mary Kusmiss to the home of Oakland Tribune reporter Doug Oakley at 12:45 am on March 9 asking for a correction to a story he wrote about a community meeting held in the wake of the murder of Peter Cukor on Feb. 18. Oakley made a revision, but said he felt intimidated by the visit.